Welcome to the Uxbridge Free Public Library
Located in the historic Thayer Memorial Building since 1894, the Uxbridge Free Public Library is located only steps away from the historic Town Common. The distinctive library building, filled with architectural charm and character, serves as a social, cultural, and educational center in the community for patrons of all ages.
The Uxbridge Free Public Library strives to be the gateway to lifelong learning by offering a full spectrum of services, materials, and events to all community members. The Library provides community members with global access to informational, educational, and recreational resources in order to meet their cultural and social needs.
To learn more about the Library and its strategic goals, please see the Library's:
Our History
Thayer Memorial Building
Uxbridge has a long tradition of library service. The Uxbridge Social and Instructive Library was organized in 1775 as a storefront subscription library. In 1812, the Uxbridge Second Social Library succeeded the original. The Uxbridge Library Association was founded in 1828 and eventually offered its collection to the town with the proviso that a free public library be supported. This collection, along with the Uxbridge Agricultural Library Association's, comprised the original holdings of the Uxbridge Free Public Library.
The Uxbridge Free Public Library was established in 1874 and opened its doors to the public in 1875. At that time, the Library operated from the F.W. Barnes jewelery store on South Main Street. After five crowded years, the Uxbridge Free Public Library moved to a space in Town Hall, where the library was located for another 14 years.
In 1893, Mr. Edward Carrington Thayer of Keene, New Hampshire, a native of Uxbridge, proposed to build and donate a library to the Town in memory of his parents. His conditions for the maintenance and use of the building were met with unanimous approval. Mr. Thayer’s stipulations form the basis of the Library’s current by-laws. In 1894, a little over a year after the town meeting ratification, the Thayer Memorial Building opened to the public.
For 130 years, the Uxbridge Free Public Library has been housed in the Thayer Memorial Building, located on the historic Uxbridge Town Common.
Library Directors
Frank Barnes, 1875-1880
Lawson Seagrave, 1881-1894
Nettie Taft, 1894-1901
Beatrice Putnam Sprague, 1901-1947
Mary Luise Amirault, 1948-1954
Mary Bain Norman, 1955-1958
Bertille Stanovich, 1959-1962
Priska Szaloki, 1963-1969
Mary Ohlson, 1970-1978
Susan Stanovich, 1978-2007
Debra Young (Acting), 2007-2009
Jane Granatino, 2009-2013
Debra Young (Acting), 2013-2015
Ann-Margaret Thomas, 2015-2017
Deborah Hinkle, 2017-2021
Christopher Powloka, 2021-present